Machine for making and vending or dispensing toilet seat covers and the like



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I l l i W. STAHLY uACHINEFOR MAKING AND VENDING 0R DISPENSING Jan. 5, 1932.

TOILET SEAT covERs AND THE LIKE M, Rz Y Od E my m wm m m. f A h.. ./u r d. l l Y.: E TWB, 0 l

Jan. 5, 1932.

INVENTOR I William Sia/2 y ATTORNEY MACHINE FOR MAKING AND VENDING OR DISPENSING TOILET SEAT COVERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. l1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan- 5, 1932. w. STAHLY 1,840,266

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ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1932.

` pressa/c' and W. STAHLY MACHINE FOR MAKING AND VENDING OR DISPENSING TOILET SEAT COVERS AND' THE LIKE FiledaDec. l1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY u le,

` f ticles such as a towel, is

WILLIAM STAHLY, or COLLEGE POINT,

Patented Jan. 5, 1932 A UNITED NSTATES PATENT OFFICE NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SANITARY PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW yJERSEY MACHINE'FOR MAKING AND VENDING OR DISPENSING TOILET SEAT COVERS Y AND THE LIKE Application led December 11, 1929. Serial No. 413,186.

The present invention relates to machines formaking and vending or Adispensing toilet seat covers and the like.

The present invention contemplates an improved machine for this purpose wherein all the parts are designed and arranged for easy `assembly in a small cabinet adapted to hold a supplv of tissue in the form of a roll, and to form and dispense the toilet seat covers ready for. use. The seat cover, or other paper arformed out of the web by cooperative vmale and female rolls v bearinga predetermined design. These rolls provide a machine for are preferablyarranged for tearing the paper along the 'desired lines by a sharp knife.

An 'object of thev present invention is to this purpose wherein the moving parts are all carried on two frame lmembers which can be assembled into a cabinet, the cabinet formingv the support for the frame members and holding the parts in f position.

. and

The invention relates to a machine for forming articlesfrom the entire width of a web of paper and 'dispensing the same, the articles being formed having severed ends oblique to the edge of the web, the machine being so designed that the web of paper passes ybetween male and female rolls which are out of contact except for the cooperative knives grooves provided to sever the paper, the tension necessary forl drawing the paper between these rolls being provided by a driven .pressure roller which is spaced sufficiently close to the plane offsevering of the male and female rolls to engage with the advancing edge ,of the web before the preceding article has been completely severed. In this way a pulling effort is always applied to' the web to draw it between the male and female rolls even though they Aare out of contact.

Ay further obj ect of the invention is to providea paper straightening devicey such as a s iral roller for stretching or straighteningv the paper soy as to `prevent the formation of longitudinal creases as machine;

it passes through ythe A further object of the invention is to royvide guidingand pressure rollers for holy ing instead of cutting it the paper on the female roll, both these rollers being spring-pressed toward the female roll, the pressure roller being preferably geardriven.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement forv supporting the vpaper roll while the paper is being threaded into the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for stopping the seat-forming mechanism at the end of a cycle, and to provide coin control mechanism.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

`The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating thc present invention, one of the many embodiments in which it may take form, it being understood that kthe drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the seat cover forming machine with parts broken away to show the interior construction, the parts being in the position to which they are brought at the end of a seat cover forming operation;

`Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 22 of Figs. l and 4; i

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the male cutting roller;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. l;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1 and showing in dot and dash lines the position of the cover before it is closed and the position of the release mechanism after the insertion of a coin in the coincontrol mechanism; n

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View on an en? larged scale showing the stop and release mechanism; and Y r Figure 7 shows a seat cover formed in the present machine, and illustrates diagrammatically the respective relative positions of the lines ofy contact ofthe pressure roll and female roll and the meeting point or plane of the knives and grooves of the male and female rolls. y

The `present machine is shown as beingemthe same.l

" A AAs here shown, the seatforming mecha- 4 roller.A This gear is twice gear'46 so as to maintain a two-to-one relation l while the rear. edge .of the front part .19 to close the top of the cabinet. l "ed to'be locked in this positionl by a key controlled lock indicated at 20.. The'cover alsoV has side walls '21 and 22 extending rearwardly and adapted to overlie the side walls 11and 12r i the right-hand end of the roll 40 meshes with bodied in a sheet metal cabinet adapted to be mounted on the wall or other convenient support. The cabinet is open at the front and has a back wall 10, sidewalls 11 and 12 and a two-part bottom wall 13, 14. The front edge of the lower bottom vwall part 13`is bent upwardly and rearwardly, as indicated at 15,

Y14 of the bottom ,wall is bent upwardly as indicated at 16. i The parts 15 and 16 form a delivery chute for the formed seat cover.

f The front cover of the cabineJ is shown at 17. It is hinged as indicated at 18 and at the top yextends rearwardly as indicatedat It is adaptofthe stationary part ofthe cabinet.

" nism is carried between two plates 23 and 24;

These` plates are secured to the sidewalls 11 and 12 of the cabinet by screws,1indicated at 25,1thesescrews passing through holes in the side walls Yofthe cabinet, and being threaded 1 holes in the castframeplates 23 `p l f ferably provided with Va into tapped and 24. Themalercller 26 for the seat cover forming mechanism lmounted in bearing plates 23 and 24.

in Fig. 3.y Itrmay bev carried on'afshaft 27 holes 28 inl the frame the seat cover.'

TheV machine herein shownis arranged to'V toemerge fromtheinachine and is V-shaped Y. 4o

as indicated at a, wf.' l The rear' endf of the 'seat' cover is also Vfshaped as'indicated at b, b. 'An oval flap vis cut .centrallyy in the l' Ivc' v)v'er,the kflap having the shape",indicated` -knives indicated at 31.

' i is'nthe form ,pears more clearly in 1 to the three discs 28",y

Yspiral edgesl 34. and 35 arrangednormal to,

"f The mais" mais 'provided wat' me aun of a stripof sheet metal, as ape' indicated at 33. t This knife is provided with V.ftheV surfacefof ,the cylinderjthese edges 34 'and .35 being formed by y A metal outwardlyfk They are adapted to form 55"the Veshaped ends a,

l makes it easy to sever the paper in a operatedmachine;

` vhere shown, are

bending the sheet a", b 'oa sarcoma.4 The helical shape Vof the severing device The knivesy 33 and 34, as

gap being provided so that the seat-fc'ofverA i fo'rmed y'not completely severed from4 the Af material remaining in the machine. The flap L forming knife V32 is It ismprovided with .continuously curving'f'V 'edges V37 arranged normal to the surface of* also made of'sheet metal.r

is shown more in, vdetail i against the surface of l y v This'shaft carries three Idiscs 28s-.29 and V30 and these discs carry the male vcutting or tearing lknives forY forming 35 (23' andv 24, 'and driven by` with the gear`47. if desired, be vmade or rod 56 and provided with spaced rubber yand 32.."Th'e'knife 31'I Fig. 3, and `is secured' 29'and 30 by screwsv separated kat 36, this narrow thel machine, the 'cover is' jSer. No. 502,905, filed December 17, 1930.

P The female roll is indicated at 40. It is one-half the diameter ofl the male roll and is providedvwith a curved slot 42 ladapted to receive the' cutting edges 37 of the flap forming knife,'and with other helical slots'43 f adapted to receive theendforming knives 34 andm35. This female roll maybe made out of any suitable material, suoli for example as a molded material. 'It is mounted on a length of tubing 45 which carries spur gears 46 vand 47.

The gears 46 and 47' are mounted on a shaft indicated at 48, this shaft being carried in the frame plates 23 and 24"'. The gear 46 on af gear v48 carried on the shaft 27 of the male the size of the between the'maleand female rolls. guide roll 50 "is carried in elongate `bearing openings 51 at lthe front Vof the frame lates 2,3 and 24. This guide roll is, pre-Y double spiral rubdevice 52, and kis held the female roller s0 as to press the paper against the female roller and spread the paper vaway from the center to prevent theformationof longiberVv paper spreading 'tudinal creases. l y i A pressure roll 53 is provided to Vdraw the paper through'the'machine iin a manner to bedescribed below. It is'mounted to the reary of the female roller, being `preferably carried in elongated lslots y54 in the plates a gear 55 meshing VThis pressure roller may, in the form of a shaft squeeze'rollers 57. The Vrolls 50 and 53'are held against the surface of the female roller [by coiled,` springs 58 Vcarried between the gears and endplates 'web ofpap'er.' AThis roll also grips-the entire cover after severing and fromY the machine and The'shaft 48'is driven forward turning of l the parts isfinsured'by a pawl 59. 1

The cover 17 is provided lwith angle members 60 and-61 adaptedto' support the ends 4width of the seat holdsl it'L while it vhangs until it is torn away.

fj a shaft 63.- This shaftcarries a roll of tissue 64 from'which'the 'toilet seat 'covers aretobe made. jln insertingthepaperinto lowered about the hinge. 18 and allowed to hang. down, the-roll fof paperk placed in Vposition with the shaft ,unc'lerneathJ the flanges V60 Yand 61.` The The cutter 32 is secured to theA be raised up to close the cabinet.

. iasses out through the chute as will be clear from Figs. fr and 5. Thecover y17 may then This cai'- ries the roll up to the position indicated in full lines in Figs. l and 5 without disturbing the paper which'has been previously fed through between the iolls. The paper rides against springs 64a and 64b carried in the inside of theV cover. These springs keep the paper away from the front of the box and produce acfriction drag against the paper sufficient to keep it taut during severing and prevent overrun when the machine is stopped at the end of the seat cover forming operation.

It will be noted that the female roll is smooth, except for the grooves or slots 42 and 48 which receive the edges 37 of the flap forming knife andthe edges 84 and 85 of the end forming knives, and that these edges'project outwardly from supporting parts which are well within the pitch circle of the gear 48 and hence that there is no rolling Contact of the male and female rolls whereby the paper may be drawn off the supply roll against the friction drag set up between the paper roll and the stationary members 64a and 64b. Owing to the absence of rolling contact between Athe male and female rolls ordinarily employed in paper handling machinery, it is necessary to arrange other means for imposing a pull on the paper at all times when withdrawal of the paper is to be accomplished.

Figure 7 shows in full lines the edges of a web' of paper, a completely formed seat cover,

(suspended), and the initial cut made for forming the flap of the next succeeding seat cover. The heavy lines CP and PP indicate the cut-olf plane and pressure plane,

respectively, at the end of the cycle, and their spacing indicates'the arc between these male roll.

planes, measured on the surface of the fe- The dotted lines op and pp at the top of the figure, together with the dotted representation of a seat cover, show' these planes just before the completion of the formation. of thev seat cover. The oblique lines for the ends of the seat cover intersect the lines op and pp and hence a portion of the web, stillconnected with the supply roll, is carried beyond the cutting plane and under the pressure roll so as to be available for pulling the paper ofi' the supply roll. It is thus important that` the angle on the female roll occupied by the cutolf grooves should exceed the angular spacing of the planes of severing and pressure application. I

jIn order that the machine may make a single seat cover and then automatically stop, it is provided with an automatic stop mechanism indicated at 65 which functions to stop the machine when a seat cover has been completed and is iii position to be taken from the machine. lVhen the machine is designed for dispensing toilet seat covers, this release mechanism 65 may be manually actuated to release the seat-forming mechanism and automatically actuated to stop the machine. In the present case, however, the machine shown is designed for vending, and the release of the automatic stop 65 is by a coin control mechanism to be described.

- A coin may be inserted through a hole in the upper front part of the cover and passes downwardly and rearwardly in a chute 71 cairicd by the hinged cover 17.

This chute deliveis the coin in-o a vertical chute 72 secured to the rear wall. of the cabinet l0 by bolts indicated at 7 This coin chute may be formed of sheet metal and is arranged to allow the coin to drop into the bottom of the cabinet. downwardly through the chute, it strikes a rear finger 7 4i forming part of a bifurcated spring pressed trigger member 75.

This trigger member is pivoted at 76 on the coin chute 72 and the upper end is urged forwardly by a leaf spring 77. The front bifurcation of` the' trigger member is indicated at 78. It is provided with a shoulder or notch 79 adapted to receive a rearwardly extending arm 80 of the stop mechanism.

The passing of the coin past the trigger mechanism swings the trigger clock-wise as viewed in Fig. 4 and releases a spring-pressed member 80 from the notch 79 causing it to swing in a clock-wise direction under the instop the seat-forming mechanism, the mutil' lated shaft 83 is in such a position that the upper front corner 85 of the same will engage with a pin 86 carried by the gear wheel 48 to thereby arrest the seat-forming mechanism. When, however, the trigger mechanism 74 is actuated by the coin, the spring 8l acts to shift the mutilated shaft from the full'line position, Fig. 6, to the dotted line position. This moves the upper shoulder 85 far enough in a counter-clock-wise direction, as appears in Fig. 6, to permit the pin 83 to pass by. This pin then passes beyond the mutilated shaft and engages with a resetting cam 87 carried thereby so'that the mutilated shaft and arm 80 are moved back up so as to i As the coin passes reset the trigger mechanism. The .seat-form-l 'f ing mechanism' is fthen ,carried through thejcycle and'` is stopped at the .proper time. e

89. andlocked by a lock 90.

lVhen one desires to test' the seat-.forming mechanism Without employingza coin, alsmall instrument may be passed into the coin controllerd mechanism to pressl back the upper Y I y y I v male andfemale rolls, a pressure roll on the .end75 ofy the trigger. w y

Atthe end of the seat cover forming operation, the paper has beenl carried forward* yuntil the line .20v p indicates the approxiniateposition. of. the line of pressure on thel next partially'iormedseat cover, The nevvly Jiiormed seat cover hangs downwardly asin,-

dicat'ed in-.Fig.`1, being'supportedv .at the center by the unsevered paper.l One can then grasp tlieseat cover at the 'point marked X,

Fig. 7, and gently pull it away romthemachine.` Y

. The linachinefmay readily beladapted 'for dispensingv other lpaper articles, 'suchas paper towels, by omitting'v thelflap i''orming knives on-the maleroll. y

ln order thatthe coin 'controlled mechanism may, be rendered inoperative after the paper supply has been exhausted, the ma- ,f chine is provided With a pivoted'linlr 91 havingits lower'end behind a spring 92 Which bears against theei'id of the shaft 63 carry- Ving the paper: supply.- So long as there is suiiicient Vpaperin .the machine, thev lever 91S will be in the position indicated in Fig.V 1, and the slot Will be open for the reception of a coin.-` When,'how'ever, the/paper supplyv is depleted sufcientlyto have the end of the Y i shait; pass beyond `the lower end of the spring 92, this spring Ivvill actuate the lever '.91 .to close"the.coin1chute.' An inspection opening 981 permits. one, to, determine-the y. amountof paper remaining in the roll. I This application is a continuation` 1n 'part ci my applicationfSerial Nd 356,825, tiled embodied in many forms-and constructions Within thevscope of 'the-claims, and l Wish it Vto be understood that the` particular form shownfisbut oney'of the' many forms. Varieus modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any' Way i with respect thereto.

d roll of paper, male female rolls i to form'the seat cover,la yr,

roll for applyingthe paper to the `ienialeJ lclaim` .f l. A machine for foi'tining toilet seat covers `out otia Web ofV paper and dispensing the ysi:upoiwing a y meshing same, comprising, Ameans A. for

together and having a predeteirrcii u design Y yolvakble guiding roll inv advancefo'rn the meeting point of the male andfeinale rolls, a pressure roll onthe i other Side of the ymeeting kplane for pressing the papenagainst the femalelroll, and gear means for; driving the pressure roll. y 2.V -Anmachine for severing a web of paper :to formlpaper articles and dispense the same,

comprisin` C, means for supporting a roll of paper, male andiiemale rolls, ineshingtoother side oi' the 'meeting plane for pressing the paper against the female roll, and gear means for driving theA pressure roll, loose bearings ktorV the pressure roll, and spring neans for holding the pressure roll against the female roll. l l l Y B. ,A machine for severing a web of paper tor form paper articles and dispense the same, comprising, means for, lsupporting a roll of paper, male and female rolls meshing together' and having'severing devices'to cut the articles 'from tlieiveb,a revolvable guiding roll for app-lying the' paper to the femalevroll Vin advance ofthe kmeeting point oi the male and female rolls, a pressure roll on the other sideioi the meeting plane for pressing the paper against the female roll, and gear means for driving the `pressure roll,

loose hearings for both the guiding roll and i for the pifesserroll, and spring means acting on .both rolls to hold themagainst the iemale per to he female roll in advanceof rthe meeting `point ci the male and female rolls, a pressure roll on the other side of 'the meeting plane' for pressing the papery against the female roll, gea-r means for driving the pressure roll, end plates in which all said rolls are revolvablymounted,

the journals for the pressure roll being elonn gated in a direction radial of the `female roll,

.and springs for. pressing the pressure roll against the female roll.v

.5. machine for severing a iveb ci paper to iorin paper articles and dispense tliesame, comprising, means ior'supporting a roll oi paper, male and 'female rolls meshing together andhliaving severing vdevices to cut i the varticles from the Web, ya revolvable guiding` roll tor applying thepaper to the female .roll in Aadvance of the meeting point yoi' the male and female rolls, a pressure roll on the `other. side ci tliemeeting planetor pressing the paper against Vthe Vfemale roll, gearnieans for ,drivingr the pressure roll, end plates in which all said rolls are revolvably mounted, the journals for the pressure roll and guiding roll being elongated in directions radial lli of the female roll, and springs connecting vthe rolls for pressing both of them against :having Vbearings for all said rolls, and an inclosing housing having end walls to which the plates are secured.

7. In a machine for severing a web of paper to form paper rticles, .male and female rolls meshing together and having severing devices to cut the articles from the web, shafts on which the rolls are mounted, a. revolvable guiding roll for applying paper to the female roll in advance of the meeting plane of the male and female rolls, a pressure roll on the other side of the meeting point for pressing the paper against the female roll, gear means for driving the pressure roll, a pair of plates having fixed bearings for the male and female rolls and slots to receive the shafts of the guiding and pressure rolls, springs interconnecting the guiding and pressure rolls to hold them against the female roll, and an inclosed housing having end walls to which the plates are secured.

8. In a machine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles, male and female Vrolls meshing together and having severing devices to cut the articles from the web, the male roll being twice the diameter of the female roll, a paper supplv roll supported above the male roll and adapted to deliver a web of paper downwardy, a male guide roll for'applying the paper to the female roll before it passes between the rolls, a'pressure roll to press the paper against the female roll after it has passed between the rolls, and gear means for driving the pressure roll.

9. In a. machine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles, a cabinet having` an open front, a cover hinged to the lower frontpart of the cabinet and adapted to hang downwardly or to be raised up to close the cabinet, male and female rolls rotatably carried in the cabinet, the rolls meshing together and having severing devices to cut the articles from the web, the male roll being above the female roll, rolls for applying the paper to the female roll, and cover carried means for supporting a supply roll of paper when the cover is Lowered or when the cover is raised.

l0. In a machine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles, a cabinet having an Vopen front, a cover hinged to the lower front part of the cabinet and adapted to .hang downwardly or to be raised up to close the cabinet, male and female rolls rotatably carried in the cabinet, the rolls meshing together and having severing devices to cut the articles from the web, the male roll being above the female roll, rolls for applying the paper to the female roll, and devices carried by the sides of the cover for supporting a supply roll of paper when the cover is raised, the top of the cover supporting the roll when the cover is lowered.

ll. ln a machine for forming toilet seat covers out of a web of paper, male and female rolls meshing together and having a predetermined design to form a seat cover with a central flap and incompletely sever the seat covers from one another, and a pressure roll for pressing the web of paper against the female roll and disposed tc grip the entir width ofthe web of paper after severing to thereby hold the formed but incompletely severed seat cover suspended.

l2. In a machine for forming toilet seat covers out of a web of paper, male and female rolls meshing together and having a predetermined design to form a seat cover with a central flap, a guide roll for applying the paper to the female roll, and a pressure roll for pressing the web of paper against the female roll, the severing of the flap taking place between the guide roll and the pressure roll, the pressure roll engaging the entire width of the paper durine` the cutting of the central flap to prevent narrowing the web as said flap is cut. I

13. A machine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles and dispense the same, comprising means for supporting a roll of paper, male and female rolls meshing together and having severing devices to cut the articles from the web, a revolvable guiding roll for applying the paper web to the female roll in advance of the meeting point of the male and female rolls, a pressure roll on the other side of the meeting point for pressing the paper against the female roll, and gear means for driving the pressure roll.

lll. In a machine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles, male and fe male rolls meshing together and having severing devices which cut the web to form the articles to shape without completely severing the Same, and a pressure roll for pressing the web of paper against the female roll and disposed to grip the entire width of the web of paper after severing to thereby hold the formed but incompletely severed article suspended.

l5. A machine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles and dispense the same, comprising means for supporting a roll of paper, a cylindrical f female roll having grooves, a male roll having knives with paper severing edges which enterthe grooves, the male vroll being otherwise ont of rolling contact with the female roll, gear means for driving the rolls so that-,the knife edges enter the grooves to sever the web into articles, a

revolvable guiding roll for applying the pa` I per web to the female roll in advance of the v meeting point of the male and female rolls,

a pressure roll on the other side of the'meeting point for pressing thepaper against the female'roll, and gear rmeans for driving the pressure roll, the pressure roll acting to impose tensiony ony the paper `and draw it between the male and female rolls.

16. Armachine for severing a web of paper to form paper articles and dispense the same, comprising means for supporting a roll of paper, male and female rolls meshing together and having cooperative severing devices shaped to provide paper articles with V-shaped ends, a revolvable guiding roll for applying the paper tothe female roll in advance of the meeting point ofthe male and female rolls, a pressure roll on the other side of the meeting point for pressing thepaper against the female roll, and gear means for driving the pressureroll and disposed close enough to the meeting point to grip the web before the preceding article has been completely formed whereby the pressure roll acts as a drawing roll to pull the paper web.

17. In a paper handling machine, means for supporting a supply roll of paper, a friction device to resist removal of the paper from the roll, two rolls between which the paper is passed, one being a pressure roll to press the paper against the other so that rotation of said rolls effects a removal of paper from the supply roll, the other roll having end forming grooves extending across the facey thereof and over which the paper is drawn and held taut, a rotary out off knife which passes through the paper thusv held taut and enters the grooves, and gears for driving the two rolls and the knife, the* grooves extending about the surface of the roll an angular distanceat least as much as they angular spacing of the pressure roll and cut off knife about the aXis of the grooved roll. Y f

18. In a paper handling machine, means for supporting a roll of paper, means for severing the rentire width of a paper web to form articles of paper comprising a grooved female roll, a male cut off knife.

Vmeans to revolve the roll and knife at the same peripheral speed so that the knife may enter the groove, means to deposit the web of paper about the surface of thel grooved roll and hold itthere so that the knife may sever it,

said means comprising apressure roll press-l ing the paper against the grooved roll to draw the paper off the supply roll, and a friction device'to resist such withdrawal and hold the paper taut against the female roll.

Signed at College Point in the county of Queens and State `of NewYork, this 6th day y of December, 1929.

YWILLIAM STAHLY. 

